We hear loads and loads about chia seeds. They’re always in the “healthy & organic” section of the supermarket. Is their place on the shelf righteously earned?

The truth is there are benefits of using chia seeds. For starters, 1 tablespoon contains 3.5 grams of fiber, which is excellent for your digestive health. Also, these seeds are packed with an Omega-3 fat called ALA, which is essential – that means, our body can’t make it, and we need to get it from our diet! ALA has been linked to better bone health, as well as possible modest protection against type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as published in a review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition this year.

These little ones do come with a price, though – they’re calorific! 1 tablespoon contains about 50 calories. It doesn’t sound too terrible, but if you sprinkle them on your meals very generously, the calories sure do add up. My advice is, don’t deprive yourself of their goodness, and measure how much you are adding.

Because they’re rather tasteless, they complement pretty much anything that needs a little bit of crunch. Another great thing about these seeds is that they absorb moisture when soaked, forming a jelly-like consistency, which is perfect for puddings! The reason I prefer these puddings to supermarket ready fruit yogurts is that I can control how much sugar I’m adding, as well as boost the fiber content. Also, the texture of the soaked seeds is awesome.

My absolute favorite thing to do with chia seeds is to incorporate them into my breakfast. High in fiber, and energy-filled, they make a lovely start to the day. This recipe is completely basic, and certainly open to changes. I love to switch it up and use coconut milk or almond milk. It goes nicely with peaches and cinnamon, too. Dress it up with desiccated coconut if you’re into that like me! Try it out, and put your own spin on it.

It’s almost winter and chestnuts are in season! I love chestnuts, but I also love my waist and don’t intend on gaining weight – despite the fact that sweater season does help hide some excess weight here and there. Nonetheless, weight gain or not, every food in moderation is acceptable.

What’s the relationship between the oh so wonderful chestnut and weight gain you ask? Well, unlike all seeds (which a chestnut is considered to be) it’s packed with more starch that fat. In other words, a chestnut can be lumped together to the world of corn, potatoes and peas. So, here are the facts, per chestnut you get 5g of carbs, 0.4g protein, 0.2g fat, 0.4g fiber and almost 21 calories – as you can see, it’s not much per chestnut, but who can really stop at 1 chestnut?

If you’re going to be purchasing chestnuts anytime soon, make sure you pick out ones that are shiny, tight and tough . If the chestnut rattles then it has over dried.

Perfectly Roasted Chestnuts

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:20 - 30 mins

Total Time:40 mins

Ingredients:

Chestnuts (as many as you like)

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to approximately 200°C

Take a knife and slice a large X through the chestnut (to help steam escape from the nut and avoiding it from popping in your oven)

Place the chestnuts onto a baking pan and place in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes

Once roasted, remove the chestnuts from the oven and place on a cloth

When cool enough, peel the chestnuts, sprinkle some cinnamon and indulge!

A sustainable diet should be a realistic one. I truly believe it is necessary to enjoy everything in moderation – desserts included! But perhaps we can be a little wiser when we choose them.

Let’s make this really simple, and start at the beginning: the cocoa bean (where chocolate comes from). The bean houses two things: cocoa solids (which gives it its flavor) and cocoa butter (which gives it its texture). What’s the difference between the different types of chocolate?

How did we come about discovering that there were some sorts of benefits to cocoa? The Kuna Indians in Panama gave us a major clue. This indigenous population had a distinctively low blood pressure, and traditionally drank around 4 cups of unprocessed cocoa drinks per day. And sure enough, scientists soon realized that cocoa and dark chocolate are rich in flavanols (a type of antioxidant). They went on to show that eating cocoa or dark chocolate could improve vascular health, moderate blood pressure, as well as decrease LDL (the bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (the good cholesterol).

It has been said that the Kuna cocoa was so raw, unprocessed and bitter that there’s no way we’d handle it. Addition of sugar, emulsifiers, and vanilla, as well as the use of particular processing techniques are all ways to improve the taste. Unfortunately, these all compromise the flavanol content – hence why we don’t recommend milk chocolate! Is there a way to choose the right dark chocolate? Definitely. It comes down to 3 things.

For starter’s, look at the percentages: the higher the percentage, the more cocoa, therefore the more antioxidants. Although, if it’s too bitter, I’d rather you take it back down a notch, and stick with one you actually enjoy.

Check the label – you should never see sugar listed before the cocoa ingredients. Cocoa ingredients must come first!

This is probably the most important point. A process called “dutching” (or alkalizing) gets rid of flavanols. Make sure you pick a bar of dark chocolate has not been “processed with alkali.” Because of a process like this, a 70% bar of dark chocolate can have an entirely different flavanols composition than the same product from a different supplier.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2014/11/dark-chocolate-guilty-pleasure/feed/0137Spice up your healthhttp://fork-fed.com/2013/09/spice-up-your-health/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/spice-up-your-health/#respondSat, 28 Sep 2013 10:16:34 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=75Spices are sometimes forgotten, we don’t realize the importance of having them in our food unless it impacts taste. But, spices have more to offer than taste, so much research has been conducted on the relationship between spices and our health. Whether it’s PMS, depression, bloating, or high blood glucose – these spices will have you covered. Here are some of my favorite spices than you can easily incorporate into any meal.

Cinnamon: highly linked to diabetes, this super spice has the power to reduce the spike in sugar after a meal therefore helping you control your blood glucose levels more. Love your antioxidants? Well cinnamon is bursting with them, helping protect your cells against free-radical damage. And according to “The Biggest Loser” chef Cheryl Forberg, adding cinnamon to your tea or fruit can help curb your sweet tooth!

Ginger: like to workout, but tired of the pain and muscle cramps you have afterwards? Research has shown that consuming 1 teaspoon of ground ginger for 11 consecutive, can reduce muscle cramps and pains by 25%. While middle-aged women who consumed this super herb for two months showed better IQ and memory tests than women who didn’t. I wouldn’t want to skip on ginger!

CayennePepper: highly concentrated in a substance called capsaicin, this pepper has been linked to lowering pain as well as benefiting your heart. What more can we ask for? Healthy heart + no pain! While those that are after weight loss, you can have it too with this spicy pepper. All the heat being excreted from eating this pepper helps you burn extra calories. Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too?

Cumin: with just one tablespoon a day, you’ve covered almost 22% of your iron needs for the day! That’s what I can a super spice. Besides providing iron, cumin can help you build a strong immune system as well as your energy level.

Saffron: this expensive spice may be well worth your money! Known as the mood boosting spice – research has been conducted on the effects of saffron of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and depression, and the results look promising. Women who consumed saffron daily were able to lower their mood swings and depression by almost 50%, I told you it sounds promising!

Cloves: suffering from bloating and flatulence? Cloves can help you with this one. Add cloves to your food while it’s being cooked to reap the maximum anti-bloating effect. Still not convinced that cloves might be good for you? According to a study conducted by University of Oslo, cloves contain the most antioxidants per gram – 1 gram of cloves contains the same amount of antioxidants as 1/2 cup of berries.

Anise: It may look pretty, but it acts even better! Many people have digestive problems and this little pretty spice can help. Whether it is nausea, gas or bloating, adding anise seeds while cooking can help alleviate your problems afterwards. Can’t be bothered to cook with it? Then steep it in some hot water and enjoy after your meal.

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http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/spice-up-your-health/feed/075First Foodshttp://fork-fed.com/2013/09/first-foods/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/first-foods/#respondTue, 10 Sep 2013 05:27:38 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=119Your baby’s first foods might seem like a nightmare to you. But rest assured you’ll be fine and so will your baby. There’s no certain rule as to how much your baby should be eating, each and every baby is different in their appetite and even likes and dislikes with food. If you listen to your baby’s hunger cues, you should be alright.

From birth to the first two weeks of life, your baby needs a lot of feeds. If you are breast-feeding the milk you are supplying isn’t as concentrated in nutrients the first two weeks as it would be as you are approaching 4 to 6 months. Feeds as your baby is growing actually decrease compared to the first two weeks of life and that is fine.

As you embark on the journey of your baby’s 6th month of life, you start introducing foods. Expect to be giving your baby 1 to 3 meals a day, which would most probably consist of 2-4 tablespoons of a single pureed food.

Here are some option’s (I prefer holding off fruits until the end, and don’t forget to introduce only one food item at a time every 4 days – we need to monitor allergies)

squash or zucchini

broccoli

carrot

avocado

apple

pear

peas

beets

banana

It’s also important to be giving your baby rice cereal, as it contains high amounts of iron which begin to get depleted from your baby’s body as he grows older. Below is a good recipe I have given to many of my new parents, and it has worked well with their babies! Make sure to choose brown rice cereal, as it is not bleached or processed like white rice.

Home-made Rice Cereal

You don't need to buy pre-packaged rice cereal. It is very easy to make, and better for your baby when you've made it yourself, natural and organic if you want it to be.

Yield:4 - 6 servings

Prep Time:3 minutes

Cook Time:5 minutes

Total Time:8 - 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup short-grain brown rice (it can be organic if you like)

Directions:

Preparation:

Place the brown rice in a spice grinder and grind for 45 seconds to 1 minute. You want the rice to be finely ground.

Store the rice powder in a sealed container for later use, and store in your refrigerator.

To make 1 serving for a 4 - 6 month old baby:

Boil 1/2 cup of water, add in 2 tablespoons of the ground baby rice.

Whisk the mixture continuously, until the mixture is thick and creamy.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/first-foods/feed/0119Almondshttp://fork-fed.com/2013/09/almonds/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/almonds/#respondSun, 08 Sep 2013 09:34:06 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=113Almonds have been around for a very long time, yet they have always been as popular as they are now. Some people like to have them whole, while others like them as a butter and some prefer drinking them as a milk. Either way, almonds are really good for you, make sure you get your daily dose of 1/3 of a cup!

Here are some interesting facts on almonds:

Crunch them and chew them properly, research has the shown that the more you chew on almonds the more nutrients you absorb. Chewing breaks down the cellular wall, helping us absorb more of the nutrients.

In a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, 12 patients with high LDLcholesterol were fed almonds for 2 weeks and were able to reduce their cholesterol from 12% to 8%. Now that’s impressive.

High in both magnesium and potassium, this nut is able to increase your blood flow and let your muscles relax, helping maintain normal blood pressure and heart health!

Worried about high bloodsugar and want to have something sweet? Stick in almonds to your meal (around 22 whole ones) and watch your blood sugar not increase much. It’s been proven!

Hello weightloss!!! Yes, fats can make you skinny. A research published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, that consuming almond along with a low calorie diet can help you shed weight in no time. Consuming almonds can also lower your risk of gaining weight.

Yummy Almond Milk

Almond milk is easy to make at home, and that way you can add ingredients to your liking. You will be needing a mesh cloth, or cheese cloth to separate the pulp from the milk. If you are using a cheese cloth you might need to strain the milk a couple of times before you are able to get a smooth creamy texture. If you don't have a cheese cloth you can use a strainer. This milk can stay in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Yield:3.5 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water overnight

3.5 cups drinking water

2-4 pitted dates

1 whole vanilla bean, chopped

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

Small pinch of salt

Directions:

Soak raw almonds overnight in water.

Rinse and drain the almonds and place in a blender along with the drinking water, pitted dates and chopped vanilla bean.

Blend on the highest speed for 1 minute.

Place a cheese cloth over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the bag.

Gently squeeze the cloth to release the milk. Repeat until all milk is squeezed and milk texture looks smooth.

Rinse the blender and pour the milk back in. Add the cinnamon and pinch of salt, blend on low to combine.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/almonds/feed/0113Not all greens are created equalhttp://fork-fed.com/2013/09/not-all-greens-are-created-equal/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/not-all-greens-are-created-equal/#respondSat, 07 Sep 2013 21:21:43 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=109Have you ever looked at the greens in your salad and wondered if one choice or the other would have an effect on your health? Well, bottom line is that not all greens at created equal, and different greens should have different purposes both in your salad and on your health.

Here are some different greens that are worth noting, try incorporating them into your salad or meal this week!

Spinach, Popeye has it and so should we! Packed with Vitamins A, K, C and folate, this powered green leaf has been portrayed to give you strengh and energy for a reason. Most of us think of berries when thinking of antioxidants, well you can now add spinach to your list as well. With Vitamin K and Calcium, you can also ensure bone health. Side note – cooked spinach is better for you than raw spinach. Why? Heating spinach reduces the oxalate content in spinach, which is a good thing because that frees up dietary calcium for your body to absorb. Choose spinach that is vibrant in color, with no signs of yellowing, and do not wash before storing.

RomaineLettuce, are you surprised? Yes, even this common leafy green has the ability to give us some benefits. High in Vitamin A, K, C and folate, romaine lettuce has been proven to help prevent cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to your artery walls. The potassium content in this lettuce also helps lower blood pressure, while if you have iron deficiency don’t overlook this lettuce because it can help give you a boost!

Cabbage, available in both red and green varieties this vegetable is known for its cancer preventative properties, especially the red cabbage. On the other hand, if you want to lower your cholesterol? Steam your cabbage. Steamed cabbage has the ability to bind to bile acids in your gut making it easier to lower that mighty high cholesterol.

Kale, this nutrient powerhouse is the most popular of leafy greens. What made this leafy green popular? It has detoxifying properties that can help regulate the detoxing process in your body naturally. Kale contains high amounts of glucosinolates (also found in red cabbage), which help your cells get rid of unwanted toxins; hence it is a natural detox food. Want to obtain more nutrients out of kale? Soak it in lemon for 5 minutes before eating.

TurnipGreens, known as the calcium super food, containing more glucosinolates than kale and cabbage is one of your best choices when it comes to leafy greens. High in Vitamins K, A, C and managanese, turnip greens have a bitter taste that is worth the detoxifying properties. Also high in antioxidants, you know your heart health will be boosted. Steam or boil them, I would personally dip them in some soy sauce, but make sure to have them!

So what greens will you be having next? It can be hard to incorporate them everyday, but make sure you aim to do it at least once a day to get the benefits and nutrients they have to offer. Remember nutrition and health depends on what you eat regularly.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/not-all-greens-are-created-equal/feed/0109Smart Foodshttp://fork-fed.com/2013/09/a-smart-lunch/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/a-smart-lunch/#respondSun, 01 Sep 2013 14:34:47 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=96It’s back to school time, many of us have hectic work schedules and don’t know what to feed our kids. Unfortunately, our schools don’t offer good options making it very difficult to ensure our kids are having proper meals during the day. Yet, it is still very important to make sure that our kids have food during the day so that they can have the energy to absorb information and function.

Check out these brain boosting foods for your kids and perhaps yourself too!

Eggs, and most importantly egg yolks! Why? Egg yolks contain choline, and that’s what’s responsible for making your little ones’ brain develop and their memory expand. We all need our brain to function, and if egg yolks don’t tickle your fancy? Broccoli, cauliflower, yogurt, and beans are all good sources of choline too.

Beets, bring your B game on and include Vitamin B in their breakfast or lunch box meal. Vitamin B is key in helping retain information from your memory, and who doesn’t want that? Not only do they contain Vitamin B, but they also contain folate, a heart protecting vitamin. Make a roasted beet kabob for your kids lunch box!

Berries, our brain boosting antioxidants! Again, these berries are heavily linked to our memories. Strawberries contain fisetin, a compound that promotes the strength of your long-term memory; while the blueberries and raspberries contain anthocyanin to help protect your brain neurons.

PumpkinSeeds, or what I call the “tryptophan seeds” which makes your mood much better due to tryptophan’s effect on the brain, helping it create and release serotonin. Sometimes kids can be grumpy in the morning, so try giving them a cup of milk with a handful of pumpkin seeds for breakfast.

CayennePepper, containing a burst of capsaicin that fight fat and relieve pain. Capsaicin helps release endorphins from your brain, helping to reduce stress and focus more. So next time your kids have exams, make their breakfast spicy it’ll be worth it!

An Apple a day, keeps the doctor away. We mean it! Why you may ask? Well, apples contain catechins, a substance that has been researched and proven to help protect our brains from chemical damage that lays around us. Include it daily in your kid’s lunch box and mix it up with the colors, but be sure to choose organic apples as the catechins are found in the peel of the apple.

Kale, an anti-aging food for the brain. Kale can lower your brain age by 1 to 2 years according to a medical research study conducted by Harvard Medical School. If you can’t find it, then maybe try to grow it and include it as chips for your kids to munch on instead of the bagged fake-potato ones.

DarkChocolate, blood flow promoter will make sure the blood circulates to your brain and may actually improve your math skills! Who said eating healthy is tough? If your kids don’t like dark chocolate whole, then turn it into a moose or sneak it into their milk in the mornings!

Check out this granola recipe below, it’s easy to make and easy to eat – either for breakfast before school or a snack during school!

The Healthy Granola

This is a quick and easy recipe that incorporates some of the brain-boosting foods above!

Yield:One 9 x 13 Pan

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup dried coconut, unsweetened

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup honey

1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Place the oats, pumpkin seeds, and chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes in a 150 degrees Celsius oven, stirring once or twice.

Remove and leave the oven on.

In a large bowl, mix the crispy rice cereal, flour, coconut, cranberries, salt and cinnamon. Add the toasted oats mixture, and mix all together.

In a small saucepan, bring the honey and butter to a gentle boil in low heat. Simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and peanut butter.

Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with buttered parchment paper.

Pour the mixture and sprinkle the dark chocolate chips on top. Use buttered hands, or an oiled spatula to press the mixture firmly into the pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes as some ovens bake more quickly than others.

Allow the bars to cool in the pan completely before cutting them.

Remove the parchment paper from the pan, cut the bars into slices and enjoy!

You can wrap the bars individually, and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2013/09/a-smart-lunch/feed/096Crazy about Avocadoshttp://fork-fed.com/2013/08/crazy-about-avocados/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/08/crazy-about-avocados/#respondSat, 31 Aug 2013 08:52:52 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=86I love avocados! I can’t seem to have enough of them. So creamy and yummy! Packed with fiber, vitamins K and C, and folate, avocados are one of the healthiest foods. Fatty yes! But remember not all fact is created equal and fats don’t make you fat!

This fruit, yes fruit and not a vegetable, is classified as a single-seeded berry. Packing more potassium than a banana and dates, an avocado has around 975 mg of potassium almost double of that found in bananas (487 mg) and it takes almost a cup of chopped dates to give you around the same amount. Why is potassium important? A diet low in potassium can be associated with high blood pressure, heat disease, stroke, arthritis and many more diseases; therefore getting the right amount of potassium in your diet is key! Potassium is what makes your heart beat! Try to average 4,700 mg and you should be doing well for yourself.

We got used to not associating fruits with protein, but this super berry packs around 4g of protein! Around 18 different types of Amino Acids, and all are available for your body to use.

Those were some tid-bits on avocados, but now how to incorporate them in your day-to-day life? I can assure you that there are many many ways to add avocados to your food or even face or hair. Focusing on food, I would add avocados to salads, steaks, or even make it a dip and have it on its own.

Tip – If your avocado isn’t ripe yet, you can put it in a brown paper bag with either an apple or a banana. Apples and bananas release ethylene gas that is a plant hormone helping avocados ripen faster!

Chipotle Guacamole

I don't know why, but one of my favorite guacamole ever is the one they serve in Chipotle Mexican Grill. I was so obsessed that I would walk in almost everyday and get two sides of guacamole to go! So delicious! Here is a recipe, taken from "chipotle".

Yield:6 - 10 servings

Prep Time:15 minutes

Total Time:15 - 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup lemon and lime juice

3 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped

12 large serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tortilla chips for serving

Directions:

Using a fork, mash the avocados with the lemon and lime juice in a small bowl.

]]>http://fork-fed.com/2013/08/crazy-about-avocados/feed/086Hemp, Chia or Flax Anyone?http://fork-fed.com/2013/08/hemp-chia-or-flax-anyone/
http://fork-fed.com/2013/08/hemp-chia-or-flax-anyone/#respondSat, 24 Aug 2013 11:31:10 +0000http://www.fork-fed.com/?p=80We all can agree that food is a trend. Everyday new discoveries come out with new research and health claims. Latest food trend today? The seeds! The next big thing in nutrition and health might just be these tiny seeds. Why is everyone going crazy about seeds? Well, they contain almost as much protein as nuts (if not more) and also carry the heart healthy omega 3 fats.

HEMP

Some of you may be thinking that this seed can make you high, but this hemp is not marijuana and has no link to it.

What makes hemp seeds unique? They contain all the essential amino acids making it the perfect complete vegetarian protein source.

Reputation of having a potent source of magnesium, improved energy and immunity, as well as reducing cholesterol.

Taste is a mixture between sunflower seeds and pine nuts.

Bestconsumed with salads, smoothies, granolas, and even parfaits.

1tablespoon provides 4g of protein, 1g of fiber and 1g of omega 3s.

CHIA

Absorbs liquid easily, creating a gel-like form.

Reputation of lowering blood sugar after a meal and reducing inflammation as well as blood pressure.

Taste is not a concern as chia seeds are actually tasteless.

Bestconsumed whole or ground and can be added to salads, smoothies and shakes, cereal and even water!

1tablespoon has 2g of protein, 4g of fiber and 1.75g omega 3s.

FLAX

Flax seeds deliver more ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) than any other plant food around.

Reputation of lowering cholesterol, having anti-inflammatory effects and undergoing studies show that it might have an affect of slowing tumor growth.

Taste is a bit nutty, more like

Bestconsumed ground and added to salads, baked goods, cereal and even smoothies.